Journal box



W. F. RICHARDS JOURNAL BOX Filed Oct. 8, 1928 Jan.

gwuancoz W F Richards" Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLARD F. RICHARDS, F DEPEW, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND JOURNAL BOX Application filed October 8, 1928. Serial No. 311,129.

This invention relates to journal boxes particularly adapted for use with railway rolling stock and more especiallyto the means for connecting the parts of two piece journal boxes.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide a two part journal box, the upper part of which may be formed integral or detachably connected with an associated side frame andthe lower part of involving an inside latch.

Another ob ect of my 1nvent1on is to provide an inside frontend sprmglatch for two which is connected to the upper part by means piece ournal boxes involving few parts and readily accessible for operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a two piece journal box, the rear or inner portion of the lower section of said box being supported by a ledge or fiangeof the upper section and the front or outer end of said lower section being supported from the upper section by alatch involving a spring, plunger, and link, whereby said lower section is resiliently urged into tight engagement with said upper section.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means for connecting the upper and lower sections of a two piece journal box and the method of assembling said connected means which preferably involves only a coil spring, a plunger, and a link, said spring being first placed in a pocket in'the lower half of the box, the plunger inserted in the spring and the link forced under the plunger into position and finally rotated until the other end latches over a cooperating ledge on the upper half of the box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating tothe particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention the scope whereofis defined by the appended claims. 1

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a journal box embodying my invention, said section being taken on the axis of the associated journal and said journal being illustrated in elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the box on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, there is shown a ournal box which comprises an upper section or part 2 and a lower section or part 3 fitting together to complete the box and formed with a journal receiving aperture 4; through the rear or inner end, and a front or outer aperture 5 normally closed by a lid 6 of any desired character. An associated journal 7 is illustrated in position in the box and an ordinary form of dust guard 8 is illustrated positioned in the dust guard well 9 for sealing the opening 4 around the journal 7. Although in the present embodiment I have shown a journal box separate with respect to the associated side frame (not shown), it will be understood that, if desired, the upper section 2 of the box may be formed integral with the side frame, as illustrated for example, in my copending application Serial No. 168,338, filed February 15, 1927. The lower section 3 of the box in the present embodiment fits the upper section 2 thereof by having the upper edges of the sidewalls 10 fit between the depending side walls 11 on the upper part 2 of the box and into pockets 12 between said side walls and inwardly disposed flanges 13. The rear or inner end of the lower section 3 of the box is preferably supported from the upper section 2 thereof on ledges 14 provided with inclined forward portions 15 for guiding the lower portion ofthe box onto the horizontal ledge portions 14, so that said lower section is held in tight engagement with the upper section at its re'armost end.

The front or outer end of the lower section 3 is resiliently held in engagement with the upper section 2 by means of a latch 16 disposed. inside the box and thereby protected from injury by said box, while at the same time being positioned so near to the opening it'snaps' into position 5 that it is readily operated when the lid (5 is in raised or opened position. Said latch 16 in the present embodiment involves a coil spring 17 fitting in a downwardly opening pocket 18 preferably formed by integral wall portions 19 on the inside of the i'ront wall 20 of the lower section 3 of the box. a plunger 21 with an upper projection 22 frictionally helghif desired, or freely litting within the coils of the spring 17, a link 23 being finally provided and engaging at its lower end a depression or notch 24 in the plunger 2:! and at its upper end, when in locked position, a ledge or hook shaped keeper 25, preferably formed integral with the upper section 3 oi th'e 'box. In order to normally prevent disengagement between the plunger 21 and the lower end of the link 23, the lower half l of th'e box is preferably formed with a notch 26 receiving the lowermost end or" the link fand' desirably disposed immediately beneath the plunger -21. thereby holding it in place in the associated spring 17. It will be a preciated that when the link 23 engages t eledge 25 in the curved or concave portion 27 thereof, the spring 17 is so stressed that the lower section 3 of the box is resi iently held against the upper section 2 as illustrated.

on release of the link 23, as on swinging inovementthereof to the position indicated by the dotted lines, the lower section i, may be dropped to disengage it from ihc flanges 13 and said lower section pulled fm-wardly or outwardly, thereby disengaging it entirely from the ledge 14 on the upper section and {remitting its complete removal therefrom. A 5 preferred method of assembling the hitch 16 with respect to the lower section 3 oftl're box comprises first placing the spring 17' in the pocket 18 while said lower section isempt and removed from the upper section; he plunger 21 is then inserted in spring 17, the lower end of the link 23 forced between the plunger and the ledge 26 until and is held in place resiliently by said spring 17. In accomplishing this assembly, the link is desirably placed horizontally on the floor of the lower section 3, in which position it can be readily forced under the plunger. After assembly, as will be understood, it is rotated upwardlyt'o th" positions illustrated in Figure 1.

. My journal box is in the present embodimerit illustrated with an inner lubricant suprting cellar 28 which fits inside the lower ection 3 of the box and up around the journal' 7. Said cellar is resiliently supported in" any desired manner, as by means of springs 29 fitting in pockets 30 in the lower 'sebtion 3 and engaging outwardly extending shoulder 31 on the cellar for holding it infpo'sition, Said shoulders 31 are preferaprovided with interlocking lugs 32 received in the upper ends of the helical springs untamed From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have devised a latch for connecting the upper and lower sections of a two piece journal box, which latch is disposed on the inside of the box and thereby protected from damage. It will also be seen that the latch is readily manufactured and involves few and simple parts readily assembled with respect to the box as previously described in detail.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A journal box comprising upper and lower sections and'swinging latch means disposed on the inside of the box for holding said sections together.

2. A journal box comprising upper and lower sections and meansdisposed on the inside of the box for connecting said sections, said means being readily releasable by swinging from engaging position and accessible upon opening the ox lid.

3. A- journal box comprising upper and lower sections and resilient means positioned on the inside of the box for connecting said lower section to the upper section.

4. A journal box comprising an uppersectionformed with a depending ledge ortion, a lower section, the innermost part 0 which, is adapted for support by said ledge section and a link connected to said lower section and adapted to be rotated to engage a ledge on the upper section for connecting the outermost ends of said sections.

5. A two piece journal box with an inside front end spring latch for connecting the parts together.

6. A 1ournalboxcomprising upper and lower sections, said upper section being formed with a ledge portion, said lower section having a downwardly opening pocket, a spring positioned in said pocket, a plunger engaging said spring and a link engaging said plunger and said ledge portion 'for resiliently holding the parts of the box togather.

7. 'A journal box comprising an upper sec tion formed with an outer opening normally closed by a lid, a hook shaped inward projection adjacent said opening, a lower section fittingsaid upper section to complete the box, said lower section being formed with an integral downwardly opening pocket below said ledge on the upper section, a coil spring mounted in said pocket, a plunger fitting in the lower end of said spring and formed with a downwardly opening notch and a link holding said spring compressed with its lower end engaged in said notch and its upper end engaging the ledge on the upper section of the box for resiliently connecting said box sections.

8. A journal box comprising an upper section adapted for rigid connection with an associated side frame, a lower section and its 

